Gentleman Farmer

Non-​descript from the street /​awesome ride for the palette — seems to have Caribbean influence. Small plates are the way to go. We’re big fans!

Great little french restaurant with great pricing for all that you get! My husband and I went on a Saturday night (would recommend making reservations since it is so small), if you want to grab a drink before or after we went next door to Jadis. We shared the bison tartar which was one of the best tartars we’ve ever had — it had this smokey flavor that stood out to us. He had the venison bourguignon with mashed potatoes — it was the perfect rich winter meal. I went with the filet and seared foie gras — so rich and yummy! For dessert we topped off our night with the crème brûlée.
We shared a bottle of wine that was recommended by the waitress based on what we ate (she seemed to really know her stuff) and recommended one of the cheaper bottles which kinda surprised us. We will for sure be going back to try out more of their menu.

Cozy and intimate place with quality food. Farm-​to-​table interpretation of French cuisine using lots of exotic cuts of meat.
Came here for a friend’s birthday and got the smoked duck breast. Best French style duck I’ve had in NYC. My friend got the venison steak which she really enjoyed. I was excited to try the ostrich steak but they didn’t have it at the time. They only use in season ingredients, so the menu rotates. The entrees weren’t cheap but definitely worth it, so it’s great for special occasions.
The restaurant is made up of one long strip of tables going in. The place was probably built on what used to be a closed down alleyway. It’s very quiet and intimate with dim lighting. Great for dinner dates, but not for very large groups.
Pro-​tip: make reservations

Overpriced for the food. We got two apps — the pheasant pâté and bison tartare. I’ll admit the bison tartare was so good and the only reason why I’m even rating this place 3 stars. The pheasant pâté was super salty and we could barely finish it. Same with the apps, it just tasted like they poured too much salt into the food. For the same price in LES, you can find much better food choices.

Meh, I’m not impressed and won’t be recommending this place to anyone. Overall it’s fine, but not worth the trek into LES. Especially since there are no shortage of great places in the area.
Service is what kills it for me. The staff are slow and inattentive. The food is good, but they only have extremely overpriced wine for drinks, almost exclusively by the bottle where the cheapest will still run you $ 40 for a $ 15 bottle of wine. I picked one from their small selection of by the glass, and it came out tasting like the bottle had been open for days and days.
We had to pick an odd time for our reservation, making it seem like the place was completely booked since it was the only slot the entire evening, but when we showed up, there were only two or three of their maybe ten tables that had people at them. Weird.

Best meal of the trip. Loved everything about it. From the small and cozy feel, the wonderful old school music, the wine suggestion, and the service. While we enjoyed everything, the venison was the winner — I would have happily consume another order had I have stomach space.
Snails had a nice twist with curry and a little bit of spice — piping hot and delicious. French onion soup was good although there’s too much bread. Bison tartare was good. Braised rabbit was super tender and flavorful. Venison steak was seared lightly — so tender, lean and flavorful. The bottle of Bordeaux opened up and went very well with our dinner.
Will return.

Chose to visit Gentleman Farmer based on high reviews and their creative menu. Reservations seem to be a must at this small, 20-​table venue. It’s tiny and unassuming with little in the way décor. The high banquette along the length of a primary wall really helps absorb the sound and, even for such a small space, it never got ‘cafeteria-​loud’ which made for a nice ambience.
I don’t know how they do what they do with such a small kitchen! The food was really very good. I ordered the Pheasant Pâté and the Venison. The pâté was innovative and tasty. It’s not something I think I would order again but I was glad to have tried it. Other diners had the Curried Snails which were quite good and spicy. The Venison was expertly prepared. I ordered rare and it arrived perfect to temperature. It was so tender and delicious and the Roquefort sauce was a genius paring for the Venison. Highly recommended.

I can’t say enough good things about Gentleman Farmer. Came here for a friend’s birthday and the restaurant was so much smaller than I imagined. The restaurant is basically a rectangle and there are only a couple of tables inside. Definitely make a reservation if you want to come here.
However, because of the small space the restaurant had a very intimate and peaceful vibe. And, the food is amazing. I ordered the venison steak and it was out of this world. The meat was so tender and flavorful and just perfect. I didn’t even know what braised endives or celery roots were, but those were great too. The celery root was puréed into a mashed potato like consistency and I’m guessing that it was not only tasty, but also healthy. My friend ordered the smoked duck breast and that was amazing as well. I would recommend both dishes: ⁵⁄₅.
Also, the service was great. They kept giving us bread refills which made me very happy.

Ohhh, it’s so bad and disappointing (for dinner). I didn’t finish any dish that came out except for the free bread (which was tasty). The summer vegetable salad was nothing as described and just sad and steamed and sour tasting. The pesto pasta with chicken was a gloppy mush of overcooked pasta and bitter arugula and frozen chicken strips. The server forgot most of our drink orders and I never got my drink order.

Gentleman Farmer is a small, cozy, restaurant by the hustle and bustle of the LES but seemingly a world away.
The SO and I had early reservations for a Friday night (6:30) that I was unfortunately running late for. Called around 6:40 and let them know I was on my way; staff was kind and let me know that it would be no problem. Very nice.
Having only seen the glowing Unilocal reviews and not physically seen the restaurant, I didn’t quite know what to expect. To put it quite bluntly, GF is small. However, small is not necessarily a bad thing and as other reviews the space is best understood as «cozy» and «intimate». Maybe 20 people max in the restaurant, so don’t expect to throw a large party here. This is best for a date or a quiet dinner.
We decided to order two appetizers and split an entrée. Appetizers are about $ 10-​$ 16, Entrees range from $ 16 – 30. We ordered the tuna tartar and the pheasant pâté. The tartar was good a little spicy, had some avocado for added creaminess. The pheasant pâté was a bit salty and not what I expected being more like a shepards’ pie with the meat being a ground beef like texture while being served in a flat dish with a layer of cheese on top. Not bad just not what I was expecting from a ‘pâté’.
Asking the waitress what she recommended (fish or beef) she said that the fish is good but if its your first time you should get their beef which is what their known for. At her suggestion then we ordered for our main a Tournedos Rossini. It was a lovely filet mignon cooked a perfect medium rare, with a nice piece of foie on top. The accompanying baby carrots were cute, sweet and well done. Asparagus quite good too.
We also ordered a bottle of the spanish sparkling wine, dry but also nice.
Front of house staff were pleasant and swift.
Excellent food, intimate, cozy ambiance, great staff.
Thank you Gentleman Farmer for being so good.

From its half a dozen tables to its wine and beer-​only beverage menu to its bricked walls, Gentleman Farmer was simply adorable! The cozy atmosphere exuded intimacy, while the farm-​to-​table cuisine screamed fresh deliciousness.
We decided to treat ourselves to a bottle of white wine. The 2013 Holzgasse Buchegger Gruner Veltlner from Kremstal, Austria was extremely smooth, with little acidity, but loads of ripe fruit flavors. It also possessed a slight effervescence. While we caught up over the fragrant beverages, we also munched on some doughy, artisan white bread, which was served with a mixed pepper salsa, in addition to standard butter.
We started the meal with two appetizers. The Smoked Breast Salad was phenomenal! Long stems sprouted leaves of baby arugula, which wwere topped with chopped mangoes, candied walnuts, shaved pecorino, and the namesake smoked duck. The poultry was sliced thin and each piece had only a thin layer of fat. Some slices had appeared to be roasted, while others were more like a jerky or bacon, but, regardless of the preparation, the duck tasted of the highest quality and the perfect amount of smoke. The Seared Scallop starter included 3 medium-​sized sea scallops and one little pillow of foie gras. The scallops had the perfect hint of salt and an expert layer of crispiness on the top sides. The foie gras was sweet, creamy, and smoky. An earthy Split Pea Veloute was spread along the plate, as well.
In terms of the entrees, the Pork Filet Mignon was essentially a large loin that retained its juicy moistness. It was served with a warm salad of Brussels Sprouts, Shitake Mushrooms, and Cherry Tomatoes. The Venison Steak was lean, tender, and easy to slice, even when prepared medium rare. The creamy and slightly funky Roquefort Sauce was a perfect complement to the meat. Celery Root and Braised Endive served as the accompaniments. These tasty dishes were also super affordable, with all of the restaurant’s entrees ranging from only $ 18-​$ 32.
My experience at Gentleman Farmer was one of the best meals that I have had in quite a while. You should definitely note that reservations are a must, due to its size and excellence. If it is not already on your must-​visit list, add it now!

I LOVE this spot. I stumbled in here one night as it’s just around the corner from my apartment, but after dinner it’s a place I would recommend much more than just a neighborhood go-​to. The atmosphere is perfect for date night, candlelight and very intimate. Even though it’s very small it was quiet enough to talk.
The service was superb. The waitress was just the right amount of attentive, yet not overbearing. She was very knowledgeable about the wine selection and was not afraid to make suggestions. The snails were a bit spicy for my taste, but that’s personal preference. The tuna tartar was perfect. I had the brioche stuffed quail which was fabulous, cooked to perfection! The risotto was a bit rich for my taste, but delicious and again personal preference… probably magnified by the fact that I was stuffed from the appetizers!
Worth looking for on this unpretentious street in the LES… especially for an intimate date! Also, Jadis wine bar is just a few doors down so that’s great for a pre-​dinner or after-​dinner glass of wine!

Tiny, hidden spot in the LES; blink, and you’ll probably miss it. Gentleman Farmer is very intimate, perfect if you’re trying to impress a date or want a romantic evening.
We were the first table to arrive around 7:00pm, but by 8, all of the restaurant’s 10 or so tables were taken. It’s a very small space, so prepare to get cozy with your neighbors. Reservations are recommended.
I had the red snapper, which was cooked perfectly with tender baby vegetables. The fish had a smoky aroma from paprika, but was a bit under seasoned; it definitely needed a hint of salt. My dining companion had the rabbit; this dish was truly excellent. I haven’t had much rabbit to compare it to, but the meat was melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender and the fava bean purée underneath was probably the best thing I ate all day. We finished with the crème brûlée, which was excellent as far as desserts go, but nothing exotic.
Service was very friendly and unobtrusive, which is usually hard to accomplish in smaller restaurants.

I will start by saying that we had one of the most enjoyable evenings in a long while at this little hidden gem. As many have stated… this little restaurant is super super tiny. It feels like you’re eating in a train car, but a beautiful, quaint, and dimly lit train car that serves insanely good food and has a phenomenal sound track.
When you first walk over, it’s hard to figure out if you’ve found it or not. The name is on the window in dark lettering! You will find it! Be careful when you walk into little restaurant as it really is a bit of a squeeze, and when you get seated, be sure to pull yourself in so you don’t get in your server’s way! Now that you’re seated, prepare for a leisurely spaced out meal since they have a small kitchen probably with just the chef and just one host (ess)/server. It is worth the trip, and incredibly delicious and impressive how they are able to prep this quality of food!
We started with the beet salad, the smoked duck breast salad, and the bison tartar. The beet salad was delicious and topped with burrata cheese. The cheese was an amazing pairing for the beet salad and I have to say the sauce they created from everything mixing together was refreshing and incredibly palatable. The smoked duck breast salad had pecorino cheese shaved on top, mango chunks, candied walnuts, all on top of arugula. The duck was just about five pieces, but the taste of it was nice and light even with all the ingredients on the plate. The bison tartar is a fan favorite for many on Unilocal,and I can understand why it is, but I felt the star of that dish was not the tartar which had a few too many capers in it for my taste, but the Bearnaise mousse sauce that came with it. the creamy sauce lent a complexity to the dish that would have maybe been a little overpowering in salt otherwise.
For our entrée, I got the duck breast which came with some seasonal veggies of cauliflower and green beans, while my partner got the Mignon topped with foie gras. All I can say is… both dishes were killer… but I shall always dream of that filet Mignon topped with foie. It was insanely good. I took his first bite… and wished I traded him dishes. My duck was also delicious and perfectly prepared with an incredibly nice sauce that added a sweetness that is necessary for all perfect duck… but that steak with foie… just do yourself a favor and don’t hold back. It is something that you won’t regret ever. The guy at the table next to us kept on telling him to get it even as he said he didn’t love filet Mignon and preferred other cuts. He was very happy… very very happy with his choice. We closed with their pecan pie. It was nice and warmed with a scoop of ice cream. A perfect way to… crave more steak! ^_​^
Also, kudos to the carrots they put on that steak dish and the fish dish. Those carrots were AMAZING. If their chef reads this review… they are so allowed to secretly whisper that recipe in my ear. I won’t tell anyone.
Service was excellent as our hostess was helpful with suggestions and tips on what to order, and we never felt like we were rushed although we stayed past their closing time. Give this little place a try next time you have friends in town you want to talk to. It’s nice and quiet and close with a very fun sound track that enhances instead of annoys. We will be back!

We wanted an early dinner close by in TriBeCa and happened upon this very quaint restaurant. We made reservations through Open Table and were seated promptly upon arrival. It was empty at 6:15 so we got very personalized service!
We started off with the warm duck salad which was excellent. Warm duck with mangos and candied walnuts over arugula greens and balsamic dressing. A perfect balance of favors. You won’t be disappointed.
The table came with deliciously soft and tender on the inside and crusty on the outside bread with butter and a wonderful pepper and shallot relish which was really so good that they gave us the recipe for it!
The Tournedos of Beef was very nice served on a croûton topped with foie gras served with asparagus and glazed carrots. It was excellent!
The rack of lamb was equally as delicious served with garlic mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli.
Both entrees were very nicely presented and the sauces served with both were complimentary and not in the way of the delicious array of the meats and vegetables.
The prices are moderate but a tremendous valve for the atmosphere and the great offerings you get here. Expect to spend around $ 60 per person for an appetizer and entrée that will satisfy and have you recommending this establishment to your friends, that is if you don’t want to keep this a well kept secret for yourself!

I went to Gentleman Farmer not knowing what to expect.
First off, the starters were great — highly recommend the Tuna Tartar!
For mains, I was really craving a steak. Little did I know when I got there that I would be eating Vennison Steak. Not the same as regular beef steak, for sure! However, I will say that the food was creative and fresh.
As a group of 5, we were able to get most of the mains and a varied number of appetizers. If you’re looking to try something new and fresh (farm to table), I highly recommend. They are known for their «game» dishes, but I would definitely go with the expectation that what you’re eating will be a little weird.
No harm in trying! If you’re trying to stick to safe, get the Ravioli — truffle oil ftw!

Cozy, very very cozy. This place is incredibly tiny, with only one person on staff and two cooks (the day I went at least). The food is great. We had the buffalo and salmon tartar, the buffalo being the winner. Then we had duck and the venison. The plating was very nice and the sauce was good but overall the duck didn’t wow me. The venison however was cooked very nicely, but whatever vegetable side accompanied it wasn’t that great. This place serves wine only no liquor. The pecan tart was burnt, but I’m also not really a fan of pecan pies. But it’s worth a visit.

I was wowed! Every course we tasted was delicious. This restaurant is known for the meats, especially game, and they do a great job with those items.
We started out with snails and bison tartare. The snails were served with curried garlic. The bison tartare was spicy and well flavored.
I had the rabbit cassoulet. It was a larger portion and I loved it. It was also a traditional cassoulet. It is warm, hearty and filling stew.
My husband had the venison steak with celery root, endive and roquefort sauce.
Although it was delicious, I felt sorry for him because it was so tiny and my cassoulet was so big! lol
For dessert, we had a tart with salted caramel ice cream that was extra yummy.
The Sancerre wine we had was fruity, crisp and light. Finished off a bottle without blinking an eye :)
We definitely will be back soon to try the other items on the menu!

Dimmed lighting, lighted candles, intimate setting with great song selections to set the mood. I recently came here to celebrate my birthday. I must say I couldn’t ask for a better birthday dinner. Special thanks to the bf for bringing me here and the lovely staff for adding all the special touches.
We started off with Curried Snails which was so good (I wanted more just thinking about it). For the entrees, we decided to go with Duck Confit and Braised Rabbit — they were perfectly cooked, both dishes were delish. With the help of the knowledgeable staff, we decided to go with a bottle of Beaujolais. The wine was a tad fruity, light body, low in tannin which I prefer. It went really well with the food items and I actually really liked it.
For dessert, the bf and I shared a delicious Crème Brulee and ended the night with a glass of sparkling wine.
Service was phenomenal and the food was great. Gentleman Farmer is definitely a great place to come for date night, catch up with friends or for special occasions.

Total date spot or a girls night type of place. It probably seats about 20 people and fills up pretty quickly but it was actually easy to get a reservation.
The hostess/​server was very accommodating thoughout and the room was small enough that she had everything well covered by herself.
As for the food, we had the bison tartar and the goat cheese salad for appetizers and the mushroom ravioli and the tournedos rossini for the mains. The only miscue was the mushroom ravioli which had this strange sweetness that was near sugary as opposed to the more of the truffle flavor we were sold on from the menu.
We did not stay around for dessert but we probably owe this place a return visit for its no-​nonsense, honest, and straightforward experience.